


The Moment

by triumphmusic1980



Category: Doctor Who, Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Genre: Christmas, Gen, doctor who - Freeform, trans-siberian orchestra - Freeform, tso
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-07-19 20:28:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19980037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/triumphmusic1980/pseuds/triumphmusic1980
Summary: -Circa 2001-TSO founder Paul O'Neill is getting ready for The Trans-Siberian Orchestras new tour, as well as contemplating the future of the band, when a stranger interrupts his thinking.





	1. Overture

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all! This is my first fanfic! The original crossover idea was NOT mine, as there is one fanfic on this site and one on fanfic.net that uses the idea. This is just my own take of it! I also want to note that I do not have the real-life characters personalities down, as I have never met them, and am only going off interviews and such. Also, I mean no disrespect to anyone with this story, for TSO is my favorite band and Paul O'Neill is a hero of mine. This is just a small tribute, I suppose. With that being said, please enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story begins...

\- 2001 -

Inside a large arena, a stage was set near the far end. A band was set to play tonight. The doors hadn't opened yet, and inside there were crewman, musicians, and technicians all rushing frantically to and fro, preparing for that evenings concert. Lights and fog machines were in place, being tested. Guitarists, bassists and violinists were backstage, tuning their instruments. The doors would be open soon, revealing to the world a new show, with new songs that they had worked so hard to put together. 

Among the chaos, a man stood alone in a particularly dark corner of the backstage area, scribbling notes on a notepad and running through a final pre-concert checklist, as well as occasionally giving a response to a question asked through the walkie talkie hooked on his belt. The man was Paul O'Neill, musical producer and composer. This would mark the groups 3rd album, something very different from the first two, and even though he had full confidence in the musicians, the group, and the show, he still had some unspoken doubts about the lasting effect of the project. He had worked on this project for years. It was something new, something that had hardly been done before. Something bold. People told him it would never take off, that the project was too ambitious, too much of a dream. He put his notepad down, and leaned against the wall, staring at the pre-show chaos moving around him. He knew what he wanted this project to be, what he wanted to do with it. He didn't want just another rock band, oh no. He wanted to do something great. Not for himself, but for the world. He believed that music had the power to heal, to connect, to impact. That's what he wanted this project to do. To make an impact in the world. To make a change. And if not the world, then to at least one person. To change one soul for the better. The world was a mess, it always has been. But if there's one thing he believed in, its music. He knew that when done right, music can do the impossible. And maybe, with the right message, his project would be the group to make that change. 

The first two albums were hits yes, but he wasn't sure how long it would last. This is the album that would determine the future of the band. The album that deviates from the early formula. The one to take a chance. He had hope in it. How could he not? Every one of his coworkers loved it, and the musicians loved playing it. He just hoped the fans were the same way. It was a different formula, yes. The first two albums were Christmas themed. Each had an overarching story that contained several smaller stories, that came together in a complete narrative. They told stories of peace, love, and hope.

Hope for mankind, and hope for the future. This album was more grounded in a story-tellers perspective. It ran as though it were a play, with a set story line, characters, and an arching plot with a conflict and a climax. It was not Christmas-themed like the previous. Instead, it focused on the great Beethoven, a musical hero of Paul's. It told the story of the last night of the composers life, and his struggle to save his own soul from the devil Mephistopheles. A story much different from the previous, that's for sure. Paul had faith in it, as did his fellow musicians and coworkers. However, he still couldn't shake the anxious feeling he had. 

Paul sighed. He wasn't one to get nervous, but with how important this show and tour must go, he couldn't help but feel on edge. This is the album that would determine the groups future lasting impact. It had to go perfectly. At that moment, echoing down a nearby hall, he heard a strange grinding sound from even further backstage, taking him out of his thoughts. He hadn't heard a noise like that before, and fearing a technical or mechanical error, he sighed and made his way towards where he heard the sound. 

\----

The Doctor paced in circles around the console of the TARDIS. He was bored. He didn't like being bored. He had to do something, but he wasn't sure what. 

"Ok ok, lets see...ahh 1920? America? Ahh no no, done that already. Ah! Alpha Centauri! 4005! Great space station ther- ah no no no..ah..blew that one up..right.."

He started flipping switches on the console.

"What's something new, and not dangerous? I could do with a break from all the running..maybe go have a nice night out. Yeah! A normal night out. Haven't really done that before, well, at least not successfully. Now..what do normal people do on a normal night out...AHA!"

He jumped back, clapping his hands together, a wide smile appeared on his face.

"Music! Concerts! Riiight! People go to concerts!"

He ran a bit faster around the console, hitting more buttons and switches.

"Ahh but what kind of show...The Beatles? Ahh no, done that too many times...Hmm what about David Bowie? Always liked him, he's got the whole..spaceman-thing going on...Maybe he is an alien, I never checked. Probably should do that sometime."

The Doctor sighed, and paused a moment, lost in thought. He then let out a frustrated yell. 

"Oh, ok, FINE! You pick! Surprise me!" He yelled, hitting one final switch on the console. The TARDIS shook, and with that, he was off...somewhere.

\----

Paul rounded a corner. He hadn't seen anyone else walk this way, so he knew if there was a mechanical error, no one else knew, so he took it upon himself to find out for certain. He continued walking, praying nothing was actually wrong. He reached a maintenance room, where he suspected the noise originated. The door was slightly ajar, and he was about to enter when he heard an annoyed sounding British voice come from the room.

"Oi what is _thiiis?"_ the voice yelled. 

"I give you the option of every concert and musical act in all space-time, and I'm in a boiler room! There's nothin' in 'ere! I mean, unless someone's playing 4'33 over the speakers, something tells me, this ain't a concert!" 

Paul heard what he assumed was the man kicking a pipe, as there was a clang sound, followed by the voice softly muttering "Ow ow ow ow..."

Paul had no idea what to think of the stranger at this point, so he did all he could think of, and walked into the room, not sure what to expect.

\----

The Doctor just turned to make his way back to the TARDIS, and to try the controls again. But, right before he could get any closer to the TARDIS, he heard someone clear their throat from behind him. 

He turned and saw a man standing there, arms crossed, and the Doctor assumed right away this man was a musician of some sort. He had long "Rockstar Jesus" hair, black aviators over his eyes, and a leather jacket on. He stood there staring at the Doctor, and though it was harder to tell with the glasses on, the Doctor knew he had a mixed look of confusion, bewilderment, and surprise on his face. 

The Doctor smiled, happy to see another person, and took a few steps closer to the stranger. 

"Ello'! I'm the Doctor!"


	2. Who I Am

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The stranger introduces himself to Paul. Paul finds the stranger, well, strange.

A police phone box in the middle of the mechanical room was not what Paul had expected to see, even though he really didn't have any prior expectations at all. His immediate thought was that it was a prop of some sort, left over from a past show, but what on earth was it doing in this room? It wouldn't even fit through the door. The next weird thing was the man in front of him, who obviously didn't belong here. After getting the strangers attention, the man turned and Paul got a good look at him. Clad in a long brown trench coat, a suit and tie, and wild hair that seemed to defy gravity, the stranger gave a kind and excited smile once he noticed Paul, and took some steps forward, hand extended. 

"Ello'! I'm the Doctor!" He said, reaching to shake Paul's hand. Paul shook it hesitantly.

Paul stepped back, giving the stranger a stern look. 

"Not gonna tell me a full name then?"

The Doctor gave a shrug motion.

"Ehhh it is my full name, I suppose."

Pauls expression didn't change. 

"Ok, _"Doctor"_ , do you have a backstage pass? No one from the public should be back here, and I don't want any trouble right now, if its all the same to you."

The Doctor reached into his coat pocket and shuffled around, ultimately pulling out a black ID carrier, which he opened and held out for Paul to see. 

"Yep! Sure do! Right here, backstage pass. Pass for the backstage." He grinned as he spoke. An air of confidence around him.

Paul leaned in for a closer look, then stood back, crossing his arms again. 

"Ok, you're funny. Really. Your "pass" is blank, sir. It's a blank piece of paper." He said, not wavering. 

"Is it?" The Doctor pulled it back to look at it, then looked back at Paul with a surprised look. 

"Look," Paul started, "Like I said, I don't want any trouble. It's a big night, I've got a lot on my mind, and I'd prefer not deal with pranksters at the moment. So..." Paul leaned against the doorway, "Want to start over? And the truth this time please."

\----

The Doctor was in awe. It was not often that the psychic paper fooled someone. Should be impossible really, though a few geniuses have seen through it. So how did this man do it? The Doctor didn't recognize him all the way, though he did look somewhat familiar. The Doctor was also impressed by this mans confidence. He gave off strong leadership vibes. The Doctor knew he must be in charge of something. And, after some thinking, he knew it must be a musical group of some sort. Backstage pass, the 80's rocker look, it had to be. Although, if he were to see any performance, he would have to get back on the right foot with the stranger, as he wasn't about to let him roam around any time soon, not until he explained himself. 

"Uhhh, right.." the Doctor started. "Ok, so my name really is the Doctor, its a sort of uh, professional title I guess. That's not a lie, I promise." He gave a small smile. The stranger didn't budge. 

"And I uh, I really am not from here, and I uh, sort of just wandered in. All by mistake. I didn't mean any harm, really! Back door was open, and I am an extremely curious person by nature, its gotten me into trouble before, believe me!" The Doctor gave a small laugh. He saw the man raise an eyebrow, as if to say he was curious as to what the Doctor meant, and what stories he had to tell. 

"Honest, I mean no harm, you can search me, see?" The doctor did a twirl, with his arms out. "No weapons, nothing dangerous. Just a fake ID and a screwdriver." 

The Doctor thought he saw the man give a small smile at that remark. He put his arms down, and took a step forward.

"Look, honest, no trouble here. Just a traveler is what I am. I travel. I like to see cool things, I heard there was a show here, I got nosy, went inside, and ended up here along the way." He finished. He looked towards the stranger in the doorway, who seemed to be looking right through him, as if he knew who the Doctor really was. The man gave a sigh, then stood straight up.

"Ok, ok, ok. I believe you, 'Doctor'". He started. "My name is Paul. Paul O'Neill." He gave a small smile, and offered his hand this time. The Doctor smiled and shook it, happy to have found some middle ground and maybe made a friend. Paul O'Neill...why did that name sound familiar... he thought.

\----

Paul stood back again, examining the man in front of him. Something about the stranger was different to Paul. He felt like he knew he could trust him, even after just meeting him. He couldn't really place why, however. 

"Ok, so you snuck in here, fine. You said you heard there was a show here, do you even know who it is?" He said.

The Doctor looked to his side. 

"Weeelll..." he said, "not really no. Just heard there was a show and I thought, well, why not, so, well...here I am!" He said, smiling brightly.

Paul gave him a look that could only be described as saying, 'you're kidding right?' . 

"Well, sir, the concert tonight would be the Trans-Siberian Orchestra." Paul said with a smile. "It is the debut tour for our 3rd album, Beethoven's Last Night." 

The Doctor paused a moment, visibly lost in thought. Then, in a move that startled Paul, he jumped up, eyes wide, and a look of amazement on his face. 

"OH!! Oh oh OH!!!" He yelled, practically hopping in place. "Of COURSE! Oh, how did I not KNOW! Paul O'Neill, Paul O'NEILL, YES!!!" He yelled, smiling happily. 

Paul smiled in amusement at the spectacle in front of him.

"Oh, its an honor to meet you!" He said, finally calming down. "Oh I am an idiot, you are THE Paul O'Neill!!!"

Paul, still smiling, held his hand up.

"Woah, my friend!" He said. "Please, I'm not sure what I've done to deserve that reaction. I'm just a musician see?" 

The Doctors eyes lit up again.

"Oh no no no!! Not just 'a' musician! You are one of the best! Right at the top, believe you me!" He said, practically jumping again. Pauls smile got slightly wider.

"You changed music! Oh, did you change music! The concept albums, very bold at the time but TIMELESS in the end! Stories that will last millennium! Oh, how the universe sings your songs!" 

Paul gave a light laugh.

"What is this, are you some kind hippie or something? I don't know about you, but with only 3 albums, we are not exactly full national superstars yet, my friend." 

The Doctor paced in circles. 

"Oh, but you will be! Oh this is great. Third album, wow, only 3 so far. Oh you are gonna love what comes later! I'm a personal fan of your 7th LP, oh, the emotion in that one, its an overnight sensation! And the guitar work-" 

Paul cut him off with a 'woah woah woah woah..'

"Sir, please, but this must be some prank, or you have some other band in mind. We have 3 albums only, and I'm not even sure if this one will take off..." Paul said, almost sadly. 

The Doctor paused, looking at the man in front of him, and the sad look in his eyes. 

"Well, why ever would you think it wouldn't be a success! You're the Trans-Siberian Orchestra! People everywhere love you!" The Doctor assured.

Paul looked up to him, a small sad smile on his face.

"Oh, the reviews you know, and the critics. They all say it'll never last. And if this album and tour don't go well, then..." he looked back out towards the hallway, towards the stage. Music and voices echoed down the hall.

The doctor noticed Pauls eyes looking beyond the hall, toward something greater, that only he could see. The look of a dreamer, he thought. 

"This project means so much to me, and to the others..." he stated. "You say people will listen to our music for years to come? Heh.." he turned back towards the Doctor. "..I wish I could believe that.." he finished, looking down. 

The Doctor could tell Paul was under a lot of stress, and he could see how important this tour was to him. He paused in thought for a moment. Then his face lit up. He turned towards the TARDIS.

"Come with me." He said, motioning towards the box.

Paul didn't move. He just stared at the Doctor, who moved next to the large blue box.

"...What?" was all Paul could say.

"In here," the Doctor said, cracking the door of the TARDIS open. A gold light appeared from inside.

"Sir, if I may..." Paul started, walking towards the box. "This is a prop, or..something. What importance is it to you? And why show me?" He asked. Genuine confusion on his face.

"'Or something' is correct!" The Doctor exclaimed happily, sliding through the doorway. "Come on!" he yelled from inside. "It won't take long, you won't be late for the show, I promise you!" 

Paul stood front of the box. 

"It..its a little small for both of us, don't you think?" he said, getting no further response from the Doctor. "Sir?" he said, leaning closer to the box. _This is dumb, this is stupid, this is dumb..._ he thought to himself. _Bad idea, bad idea...oh..what the hell._ He took a step forward and entered through the doors of the box, into the golden light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo! Just a note- I was not into TSO way back in 2001, and I can't find a whole lot of info on the tours then, so everything date-wise and tour-wise is an estimate for the story.


	3. Time and Distance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor shows Paul a bit of whats to come

Paul was always a very open minded man. He saw magic in everything, from great things like the stars in the sky, to smaller things like fireflies on a summers night. But the room he had just walked in, well, it was something he could never have comprehended before actually seeing it with his own eyes. He thought he knew the world, he thought he had a understanding of how it worked. But what was now before him had changed everything. 

Paul's eyes were wide, and full of wonder. He removed his glasses to get a better look. A moment ago, he was in a maintenance room, where a strange blue police phone box sat in the middle of. He had followed the stranger into the box, and now he was in a grand room, larger than the maintenance room. A room lined with strange technology, with gold and white lights all around, and a strange circular station in the middle, with buttons and levers of all kinds upon it. The Doctor stood leaned against the station, a warm smile on his face. Paul was speechless as he slowly moved into this strange new world. 

"What...what is this..?" Paul started, in a voice only above a whisper. The Doctor stood straight, and took a casual step closer to where Paul was standing.

"This is my ship. I call it the TARDIS." The Doctor waved his arms outward. "Stands for 'Time and Relative Dimensions in Space'. And no, its not a prop, not an effect, and no this isn't a dream." He smiled, amused by the amazement on Pauls face.

Paul turned to him, eyes still wide.

"You said you..were a traveler..I..I didn't know you meant..." he trailed off.

"Spaceman?" The Doctor finished. "Alien, yes. Not from Earth, I'm afraid, though I do love coming here whenever I can. And I really wasn't lying to you before, I am just a traveler. Though, on a much larger scale than most would assume." he smiled again. "Thats why I came here you see, just wanted to see a concert, so I had the TARDIS randomly generate a location and randomly pick an act. It just happened I appear here. All chance. Makes life fun, really." He leaned back on the console. "Ahh and to think I ran into you, OH what a surprise. I love your music, oh I really do. You made Christmas metal you know? Gave it that much more wonder, that much more, well, excitement! Magic, and all that!"

Paul just stared at him, then put his glasses back on. 

"Why...why show me this?" he said.

_"Weeell,_ I tell myself not to interfere but, well, you know, never hurts to give just a little, oh, reassurance, you know?" He said, pressing some buttons on the console. "You are just brilliant, you know? Gave so much to so many. And all for the thought of peace, and love. Think of this as well, my way of giving back!" he finished, flipping some more switches. 

Before Paul could get a word in, the ground beneath him shook. He held on to the railing for support, watching as the Doctor ran excitedly around the center console, flipping switches, and even using a hammer on one of them, which caused Paul to give a small laugh. But, as soon as the moment started, it ended, and everything went still. The Doctor walked over to Paul, an excited look on his face. 

"Oh, you are gonna love this!" He exclaimed. But right before he could touch the doors, he paused, letting out a loud 'OH'. He ran back into another room to the side, and returned later with some items in his hand, which he handed to Paul.

"Put these on," he started, as Paul stared confusingly at the items. "People will recognize you and well, that'll be hard to explain, and it'll be a mess to clean up, and well, I don't wanna deal with the repercussions of that at the moment. We are just here to watch and observe." He finished, almost sternly. 

Paul looked at the items in his hand. They were a long maroon jacket and a raggedy brown hat. 

"Just put these on, trust me." The Doctor said. 

Paul gave a look of _'oh-kay...whatever'_ , and swapped his leather coat for the long one, and put the hat on.

"Oh, and take off your glasses as well." The Doctor finished.

Paul gave him a look, then removed them again and laid them on top of his folded leather coat on the floor. 

"Right," the Doctor said, with a smile, "Lets go!" And the two of them left through the doors. 

\----

"We uh, we didn't go anywhere, sir." Paul said, stepping out of the TARDIS. They were indeed in the same room as before, though he did take note some items that had been laying about were definitely moved.

"Oh, it just seems like it," the Doctor started, heading into the hallway. "Same place is correct, but.." he said, drawing his words out, "Well..take a look for yourself!" He said, motioning to a poster on the wall that Paul swore was not there before. 

Paul stepped closer to look. It was a poster for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra tour, he saw that. But what made him freeze was the date listed on the poster. 

"W...wait..2018? That..thats not possible.." he said, trailing off at the end. The poster was a true photo of his group, he recognized the guitarist, but the lights, the stage, it was..different... he gave a small laugh. "Sir, this, this must me some prank, theres just..theres no way, you see? How can there be a poster for our group in..2018? It was just 2001! Did you make this?"

The Doctor gave a kind smile.

"Mr. O'Neill, I assure you I have done nothing! You see, my ship back there," he motioned back towards the maintenance room, "It can travel well, anywhere. Space, and time. I can go any place, in any universe, in any time. I didn't want to go too far ahead, to avoid complications, so I took us just a few years into the future!" 

Paul didn't take his eyes off the poster. _2018..._ he thought. _The Ghosts of Christmas Eve...the movie we had made. Revisiting it I see._ He smiled. _Good to know the original songs live on._ He saw tons of dates and locations listed on the poster. Places all over America, tons of cities. More than they had ever done before. _How do we cover so many in such a short time?_ he thought. He would have kept staring at it had the Doctor not tapped his shoulder.

"Come on, lets go look!" He said, excitedly. Paul took one last look at the poster, and then followed. 

\----

They rounded the corner, and soon came to the area right by the stage. He heard loud music coming from it. His groups music. The Doctor gave a 'shhh' sign, then they two walked to an empty part on the side of the stage. 

Paul stood there, looking out, eyes wide. From his angle, he saw his band, performing with all they had on the stage. They were playing Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24. The song that most people knew the band by. Their trademark song. The stage was even bigger than before, and there was so much going on that he never knew they could even fit on one stage. There were flames and sparks coming out of both the floor and the ceiling. The lighting rigs on the ceiling were moving, and twisting, and bending, rising up and down with the song, making new shapes as it went on. There were risers on the stage, which lifted the members up off the floor up into the air. The screen behind the stage was flashing colors and images, some of which he recognized as art from the groups albums, and some he didn't recognize, which he assumed, if the Doctor wasn't lying, came from albums yet to be made. 

It was the biggest, most energetic stage he had ever seen, and right when he thought it couldn't get bigger, he looked out into the audience. There, in the back of the arena, was a pair of two platform risers, each with a musician on it. They hovered over the audience in the back. 

_Give a chance for everyone to see the magic...fantastic.._ he thought. And, drawing his attention away from the two performers on the risers, a third riser came up between the two. This one didn't hold a musician, but instead had the bands logo, a large 'TSO', which stood between them, slowly rotating. Paul let out an amazed laugh when he saw the logo then catch fire in time with the music, shooting out large flames in beat, and in between, just remained on fire for the duration of the song. The arena was full of light. 

And the most amazing thing, to Paul at least, was the audience. He saw a full house, hardly an empty seat open. Thousands of people, staring wide eyed at the spectacle both in front of and behind them. Some stood still, mesmerized be the sight. Some were head banging, rocking out. He saw many holding up what he assumed were phones of some sort. Seemingly filming or taking photos of the moment. Some had lights shining from them, making it appear as if starlight littered the scene. 

He saw his band, after getting off the risers, run between the audience on the floor. Playing perfectly all the while. It made him smile to see familiar faces, musicians he had worked with for years, and apparently, would continue to do so. It also brought him joy to see new ones as well. Some musicians he knew, but hadn't worked with before, and some completely new to him. Though old or new, all played as if it was the last show of their life. Full of passion, joy, and love. They smiled and played as the audience cheered along. An almost defining sound when combined. The cheering seemed to last forever, but once it finally died down, a single man walked on stage, speaking the narration to the story. The audience sat quietly, listening, mesmerized by the story unfolding before them.

"Heh, even after all these years, this story and these songs still manage to touch some hearts, eh?" the Doctor said, giving Paul a light hit on the arm.

Paul looked at him, and the Doctor couldn't really tell for sure, with the dark lighting and all, but he could swear he saw a glimmer of what he thought to be a tear in Pauls eye. Paul was smiling, and he gave the Doctor a small nod, before turning back to the spectacle before him. 

"Hey," the Doctor whispered, grabbing Pauls attention once more. "Follow me." 

Paul followed the Doctor as they made their way through back hallways, until after a while, he found himself in the doorway to the floor level of the arena. The two stayed in the shadow of the doorway, hidden from view. Although, no one would notice them anyway, as most had their eyes locked on the stage. 

Paul continued to watch the show, while the Doctor skimmed the audience close to them.

"Look, there," the Doctor said, pointing to the audience. Paul followed his direction, and saw a young girl sitting in the audience. She was wearing a shirt with TSO's Charvel guitar logo on it. At this point in the show, Promises To Keep had begun to be performed.

"Why am I.." Paul started, but the Doctor interrupted him.

"Look at her eyes." he cut in. Paul did so, and noticed why the Doctor had mentioned this.

As the song went on, Paul noticed how the girls eyes were wide and full of wonder, not breaking her gaze from the stage before her. She had a wide and unbreaking smile on. It was a look of pure joy and amazement. 

"Your music is something really special, you know." The Doctor said, as Paul looked at the girl. "In all my years, I've never seen music have an effect on people like yours has. You wrote stories of lost souls finding their way, and tales about the magic of Christmas, and well, life in general. It reached people, like nothing had before. You helped a lot of people find their way. Gave them something to hold on to, something to guide them. Your dreamed it, and it truly came true. All these people, and not just here, but all over the world, and in time, the universe, and farther. All of them touched by your music. Your stories are woven through eternity. You gave them something wonderful. Hope. One of the best things a human can have. You helped people have hope in the world, so they strive to make it a better place. You gave them hope in themselves, so they would have the strength to carry out their own dreams. And well, you made Christmas metal. That alone is something to be proud of, mate." The Doctor looked at Paul, who looked back, a warm smile on his face. "Your music changed the world, and if you want proof of that, well," he motioned to the girl in the audience. "Well, just look at that there." They both turned to look again, and now This Christmas Day had begun to play, and the girl was rocking out with the rest of the audience, the smile never once leaving her face. "People are better because of you, you know. All these lives, given a message of peace, love, and hope. All the things they could create, all the dreams they have, all sparked by this moment. Thats what your stories were all about eh? Doing a kind act, with no thought of reward, then the receiver passing that kindness on to another, and on and on it goes. All that, sparked by you. You gave them this. A moment where nothing else matters, just the music. A moment of well, of love. Of music, peace, and well, hope. And it carries on, throughout all their lives, and it touches others, carrying through their lives, and soon, well, soon the whole universe. A single moment in time. True kindness. And that, my friend, that...is why you are one of the best." The Doctor finished as the song did, and he knew an intermission was coming soon. "Come on, we gotta go!" He said, and the two left the scene, heading back to the TARDIS. 

\-----

They made their way backstage once more, and before slipping back into the back hallway, Paul paused a moment in the wings. He looked to the center of the stage, where his friend and partner Chris Caffery stood, mic in hand. He managed to catch a the last few sentences of what he was saying.

"....but one thing he'd always say, he would say it was that, 'each person in this room deserves to have one perfect moment, in their lives, one perfect night. And for us, that's our job! He created this for us and its really special and perfect for all of us all the time right?.."

At that, the audience clapped, and Paul smiled. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see the Doctor. 

"Ready to go create that moment?" The Doctor said with a kind smile. Paul smiled back and nodded, and the two made their way back to the ship.

\------

Back inside the TARDIS, Paul put his old coat back on and handed the disguise back to the Doctor. The Doctor put it aside then began hitting and flipping switches on the console. Paul stood back, watching, pondering all that he had seen that night. Before he knew it, the ship quieted down once more, and he assumed they had landed. The Doctor led them back outside, into the same maintenance room, which looked just as they had left it. Paul turned to the hallway, Doctor in tow, and made his way back to the chaos of before. A man ran up to him once they got back.

"Paul, hey, where have you been? We've been calling you!" the man said, urgently. 

Paul tapped the walkie on his belt. 

"Battery died, sorry Chris. I was talking with an old friend here," he said, motioning toward the Doctor, who gave a giddy wave. 

Chris sighed, then gave a smile.

"Alright ok, sure. But we should wrap it up soon, doors open in 10 minutes!" he exclaimed, before turning back and running off towards the stage.

Paul turned towards the Doctor.

"So, 'old friend'," he said with a smile, "still in the mood for an old fashioned Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert?" He reached behind him into a bag that was sitting on a stool, and pulled out a backstage pass, and handed it to the doctor. "Its real, I promise!" he said with a laugh.

The Doctor took it with an excited smile and put it around his neck. 

"Oh, I can't wait! Should I uh, go find a seat then?"

"Of course. Oh, and Doctor," he said, stopping the Doctor before he had begun to run off to the arena floor. The Doctor stopped and turned to him.

"Come say hi, after the show, please?" Paul said. "I'd like a proper farewell when all is said and done, you know?"

The Doctor gave an understanding smile.

"Sure thing, promise! Cross my hearts!" he said, making a cross motion twice over his chest. He turned to head to the seating area, leaving a very confused Paul backstage. Paul sighed, and smiled. Alright, he thought. Let's make give these people a perfect night.

\----

\- After the show -

Paul waited backstage, by the hallway entrance. He had already done the end-of-show congratulatory rounds, and had a few moments to himself before tear down started. He took a deep breath, then smiled. The show had gone perfectly. Not one error to be seen. And for the first time in a while, he took close notice of the faces of the audience members. He saw the same expression the girl from 2018 had. Here, at this show, on nearly everyone he saw. The Doctor was right. He had succeeded in making a difference. One night, one perfect night. 

Clapping snapped him out of his thoughts, and be turned to see the Doctor walking towards him. 

"Oh, wow, that was brilliant!! Absolutely brilliant! Just as much energy now as there will be later! You always provide, my friend! The emotion, the talent, the magic, OH! It was fantastic. A perfect performance. And to think, you have so much more to come!" he jumped a bit, clapping his hands together. "Your name really gets out there, believe me! Oh, it'll be so fun."

Paul reached to shake his hand once more. 

"Doctor, I just..I want to thank you. For everything," he said, as they shook hands. "You changed my life. I won't let you down, I promise."

The Doctor smiled. 

"Oh, you won't! You saw it! Just don't lose heart, you know? Keep that 'TSO spirit' alive! A lot of people need your music, your kindness, and the stories. And we all believe in you." he finished, stepping back.

"Thank you, Doctor." Paul said, kindly. 

The Doctor smiled, and began to turn to make his way back to the TARDIS, before Pauls voice stopped him.

"Wait, Doctor! One more thing!" he yelled, as he walked closer. Paul took off his glasses, and handed them to the Doctor. 

The Doctor gave a small laugh. 

"Heh, why.."

"Just, something to remember this by, I suppose. A souvenir, if you will. You gave so much to me, and, oh, I have to give something back." Paul said.

"Oh, but you have!" The Doctor rushed in, "the music! The stories! The-"

Paul cut him off.

"Yes, yes I know," he laughed. "Just think of this as a going away present. Just...," he paused, "something. Just something from tonight. And don't worry, I can always get more." he said with a wink. 

The Doctor smiled, and put the glasses on. 

"How do I look?" he said, going into an air guitar pose.

Paul gave a hearty laugh.

"Like you belong on a stage, my friend." he laughed more, smiling brightly. "Oh, and one more thing.." he said, calming down. The Doctor stopped air guitaring and looked to Paul. "Can you do me a favor? Just, one thing?" he said softly.

"Ah, yeah, sure, what?" the Doctor replied. 

"Well, you said you travel a lot, time and space and all that, and well, later on, there will be so much more to talk about, so, could you, if you have a moment, make a pit stop where we were? In 2018? And you know, come say hi again? I'd love to talk about all that has happened up until that point with you, if its alright." He gave a small smile, looking toward the Doctor for an answer. 

The Doctor took a breath in and held it, lost in thought.

"You must have seen so much history." Paul continued. The Doctor turned to him with sad eyes. "I really do have a love for history, you can see it in the albums. And then, you know, maybe then, when there is more time, we could just, talk? Like old friends?" He finished, waiting in silence for a response from the Doctor.

The Doctor gave a sad smile.

"Sure. Yeah, of course. I'll be there." he said, nodding. Paul smiled brightly.

"Promise?"

The Doctor sighed, and gave him a kind smile. 

"I promise." 

Paul nodded, and he was about to say something when a voice called his name from the stage area. He turned towards it.

"One moment!" He yelled back. He turned back to the Doctor, only to find the space he was standing in empty. Before he could take a step in any direction, he heard the same groaning noise as before. He smiled, and turned to walk towards the stage, a million thoughts racing through his mind.

_Time, huh. Time and space,_ he thought. _Your stories are woven through eternity..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eyyy so the show is of course the 2018 show, with the lifts and all that fun stuff! I hope I conveyed why Paul is such an important man in this, because he really was amazing and has done so much for so many people.


	4. A Final Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor returns to 2018 to see an old friend.

\- 2018 -

The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS into the familiar maintenance room. He had his pass around his neck and Paul's sunglasses hooked on the collar of his shirt. He made his way away from backstage, and instead stood in the floor level doorway from before. He leaned against the wall, staring out at the sight before him. He listened to Chris, who was on the stage.

"...he created all of this," Chris motioned to his surroundings, "...for all of you." He motioned to the audience. The audience cheered. Chris looked up, and pointing to the heavens finished with, "This ones for you boss."

The Doctor kept his eyes locked on the stage as a slow acoustic song began to play. _Someday_ , it was called. He recognized it. 

_"...He won the war, in a foreign land, that was no hero, that was my old man..."_

The stage lights were simple for this song. No backdrop. No flames, no sparks, just purple and blue spotlights focused on the singer. 

The Doctor simply listened, until he felt someone stand next to him. The man sighed.

"He was somethin' great wasn't he?" he said, focusing on the stage.

The Doctor gave a sad smile.

"Yeah...he was."

The man looked towards the Doctor, and noticed the aviators on his collar.

"He give you those?" he said, pointing to them.

The Doctor picked them up and held them in his hand. The stage lights reflected on them.

"Yeah, he did. Long time ago. He was an old friend of mine, I suppose." he said sadly.

The man gave a chuckle.

"Yeah, same here. And despite it all," he said, pausing. "He did leave one hell of an impact. Just look at that." he said, motioning to the audience.

The Doctor looked, and before him was something that truly amazed him. He had been to space more times than he could recall anymore. He had seen the stars hundreds of times. And yet, the sight before him still managed to leave him speechless.

All those people in the audience, nearly every one, had a phone out, flashlight shining bright. It looked like he was standing on the edge of a galaxy. Even though there were minimal stage lights on, there were so many lights shining in the audience that the entire arena was completely lit up. Thousands of people, coming together to honor this one man. One man who had given them so much. And on this night, even though a snowstorm raged outside, the stars shined for him. Brighter than the Doctor had ever seen before. He looked down at the glasses in his hand, which reflected the thousands of lights in the black lenses.

"Its not the end, you know." the man said. "We aren't going anywhere. Not really. Paul would want this dream to carry on. We still have some surprises up our sleeves." he said, winking at the Doctor.

The Doctor, breaking his gaze away from the universe before him, turned to the man, and gave him a warm smile.

"Ohh, I'm sure you do! Besides," he said, pausing for just a moment as the cheers erupted at the end of the song. "These aren't gonna be the only fans out there. There are billions of people out there, new generations to come. They need this music. They need a moment like this." the Doctor said, crossing his arms.

The man gave a laugh. 

"You're right you know." he said with a chuckle. "Someones gotta keep his dream alive." he finished, turning back to the stage, where a hard rock song had begun. 

"Well, I have full faith in you all." the Doctor said with a smile. He turned to shake the mans hand. "You're gonna love whats to come, believe me. Its a wild ride."

The man smiled and shook his hand.

"Heh, I'm gonna have to hold you to that promise." he said with a laugh. Both of them laughed a moment before turning back to the show. 

After a while, the man took a step back. 

"Well, I guess I must be off. Shows gonna end soon, gotta go get things ready." he said. "I don't believe I caught your name?" he asked.

The Doctor turned to him.

"Ah, well, just call me Doctor." 

The man paused a moment, looking down, in thought.

"Doctor...you know I swear Paul mentioned a man by that singular name somewhere before..." he trailed off. When he looked up, the Doctor was gone. _Strange,_ he thought. _Very strange._

\----

The Doctor was almost back to the hallway. The show had just ended, and he didn't want to look suspicious, though it was usually quite hard to pull that off. He reached the hallway, but before he went through, he saw a man standing a good distance away. He recognized Chris. They stood a moment in silence, just making eye contact. But, after a few seconds, Chris gave an understanding smile and a nod. The Doctor gave a small wave back, then retreated to the TARDIS. 

\-----

The Doctor stood in the console room, taking in the silence. The arena was quite loud, anyway. He held Paul's glasses in his hand once more, turning them over. 

_Someday..._ he thought. He smiled, putting the glasses on. _The moment. The moment when people start to see the world through Paul's eyes._ He ran over to the console, flipping switches and hitting buttons. The Doctor laughed. _Kindness. Peace, love, magic...and hope. All sparked in one single moment. And the moment,_ he thought, as he hit one final switch... _is just beginning._ The TARDIS shook once more, taking him off...somewhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yayyy! First fanfic yall! I got The Big Sad Mood writing this bit ahh. Also the guy talking to the Doctor is someone quite important to both TSO aaand Savatage sooo yea guess who~ Also, all of Caffery's lines from the stage are 100% real, just go watch the video concert clip for Someday from the 2018 show East side and you can hear the full speech. I really had fun writing this, and thank you for reading!   
> Peace and love <3


End file.
